Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Vanilla - Quad and Fluffernutter Fudge - a Holiday Two-fer!

Well, we're down to the wire now - Christmas Eve. While I'm planning on blissfully whiling away the hours by avoiding the insane hubbub that is our Italian multi-course feast, I know some people out there are still scrambling to put the finishing touches on gifts, potluck dishes and sweet trays for December 25th. Oddly enough, while I love the "giving" part of the season, the day itself holds little significance anymore - call me a cynic, but really it could simply be any other Thursday aside from the fact that tensions are running the high wire all around.

Because it's so close to the Big Day, I have some last minute treats that are a breeze to whip up and even more delicious than the ingredients let on! The first one is a fudge for die-hard vanilla-philes adapted from one of my favourite bloggers, Chocolate Moosey. Sweet and creamy, the candy is loaded with all things vanilla - from infused sugar to pure extract, seeds from a whole vanilla bean and of course the vanilla-flavoured white chocolate! Normally, I abhor white chocolate, but with this recipe the pure essence of the vanilla overtakes the saccharine notes of the candy and elevates the mixture to gourmet heights. The easiest part of it all is that it's almost fool-proof, since homemade Egg White Mallow Fluff ensures a melt-in-your-mouth experience with no beating!

Vanilla-Quad Fudge

Next, I turned my attention to a flavour much more my speed - peanut butter. Another, slight adaptation of the classic "fluff" fudge, I combined the homemade Mallow Fluff with natural-style peanut butter, peanut flour, kosher salt and a touch of powdered sugar and had a luxurious, smooth candy in the fridge to set in about 5 minutes flat. The secret this time? The microwave! Purists may roll their eyes, but this method prevents the need for a thermometer, finicky sugar stages and beating, and even keeps the total sugar down a bit. I liked mine plain Jane with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt, but others I served it to melted dark chocolate for a drizzled topping. Either way, it's a surefire hit with the young fans of Fluffernutter sandwiches, and the young at heart who wish they could get away with them in the office cafeteria!

Fluffernutter Fudge

What's your favourite fudge flavour? Do you have a go-to, last minute recipe for get togethers, or are you all about the minute details? Let me know in the comments! 

Vanilla - Quad Fudge
Makes one 9x5" pan, about 24 pieces
¾ cup vanilla sugar
3 tbsp salted butter
3 tbsp 18% cream
⅔ cup (3.8 oz) chopped best quality white chocolate
½ cup (2.3 oz) marshmallow fluff (I used homemade)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and seeds scraped (save the pod and make your own vanilla sugar or extract)
  1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and cream. Stir until smooth, then bring to a rolling boil.
  3. Boil, stirring often, until mixture reaches 242F on a candy thermometer (about 7 minutes).
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the white chocolate, marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract, and vanilla seeds until melted and smooth.
  5. Spread into the pan and let sit overnight before cutting.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 71.2
Total Fat: 3.2 g
Cholesterol: 5.8 mg
Sodium: 15.8 mg
Total Carbs: 10.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
Protein: 0.3 g


Fluffernutter Fudge
Makes one 9x5" pan, about 24 pieces
1 ½ tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp peanut flour (or cornstarch, which adds bulk but not flavour)
1 cup (4.6 oz) marshmallow fluff (I used homemade)
1 cup (6.3 oz) natural-style creamy peanut butter
  1. Line a 9x5" pan with parchment and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, microwave the coconut oil until melted.
  3. Mix in the powdered sugar and peanut flour until smooth, then beat in the marshmallow fluff and peanut butter until well combined.
  4. Microwave for about 90 seconds, stopping to stir every 30 seconds.
  5. Spread cooked candy evenly into the loaf pan, smoothing the top.
  6. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before cutting.
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 88.4
Total Fat: 6.3 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 50.7 mg
Total Carbs: 6.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
Protein: 2.8 g

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